Sandy Rosenthal is a New Orleans citizen investigator turned published author whose debut book Words Whispered in Water exposes the truth behind the flooding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
This firsthand, well-researched account is a three-pronged story that reads as one part memoir, one part investigative journalism, and one part novel.
From the beginning warnings of evacuation, all the way to meeting with elected officials to argue her position regarding the Army Corps of Engineers handling of Katrina and its aftermath, Rosenthal’s journey to activism is rooted in her deep commitment and love for her city.
She describes how she founded her non-profit organization, Levees.org, with just the help of her teenage son, immediately following the horror that Katrina unleashed on the millions of people of New Orleans. Her commitment to the cause of levee maintenance and protecting the infrastructure of her beloved city led to rapid engagement and growth at a grassroots level simply by communicating openly and honestly to other citizens in her community.
This commitment extended beyond the New Orleans city limits, and Levees.org expanded into branches in Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama, states susceptible to natural disasters and the flooding that could be incurred by faulty levees.
Rosenthal’s laser focus on the Army Corps faults and the resulting coverup can sometimes muddy the narrative of an otherwise articulate story, but her convictions and steadfast investigative prowess ultimately brings the truth to light.
